3D Light Field Vision and Plenoptic Camera

3D Light Field Vision and Plenoptic Camera

Resolution

up to 65 MegaRays

Lateral Resolution in X and Y

Max. 25% of original image sensor resolution

Extended Depth-of-Field

up to factor x6

Frame Rate

max 600 FPS with R21 at full resolution

3D depth resolution

Approx. up to several 1.000 discrete depth layers

Lens mount

C-Mount, Canon EF, Nikon/F-mount, M42, M58, M72

Categories: ,

WHY WOULD I WANT TO USE LIGHT-FIELDS?

The 3D light field cameras work particularly well for small objects. You can use a standard lens, a telecentric lens or a microscope to select desired field-of-view and depth resolution. The patented micro lens array offers an optimal combination of high effective resolution and extended depth-of-field. Since you only need a single camera and a single shot you can

  • estimate the 3D position of objects situated deeply inside a cylindrical enclosure
  • take images of moving objects at high frame rates using a flash or strobe
  • obtain 3D data through a standard microscope in a single shot.

The effective lateral resolution is at most a quarter of the sensor resolution and the depth resolution is about 1% of the total depth-of-field. The absolute values depend on the main lens used. Typical application areas are:

  • Automated optical 3D inspection in industry.
  • Measurement of 3D flow with a single access point in fluid mechanics research.
  • 3D Plant analysis for breeding, picking or weeding.
  • 3D Microscopy for industrial parts.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

To obtain 2D and 3D data from a single shot, we need mainly two things: a micro lens array (MLA) and software algorithms.

The MLA is placed in front of the image sensor inside the camera, which turns the image sensor into a micro-camera array, where each micro-camera sees part of the intermediate image from a slightly different perspective. That is, instead of using a large camera array that looks at the object directly, we can choose a main lens to select the desired field-of-view and create the intermediate image in front of the micro camera array. The images generated by the camera in this setup are processed on a PC with appropriate software algorithms to calculate the scene depth and to reconstruct a 2D image.

All of the processing is done on a GPU, which allows to typically process 60 26 megaray raw images per second, resulting in thirty 6 megapixel 2D & 3D images per second (30 FPS).

INTEGRAL PHOTOGRAPHY: INSECT’S COMPOUND EYE

Raytrix light field cameras enable you to simultaneously record the 2D image and metrically calibrated 3D depth information of a scene with just a single camera and a single main lens in a single shot.

This typically works with standard lighting and even a flash. For difficult surfaces a pattern projector can also be used. The exposure time is only limited by the camera electronics and the available amount of light. The cameras perform no processing internally, they simply deliver a raw image to a PC, which is then processed on a GPU to obtain the 2D and 3D data.

In principle, any camera can be turned into a light field camera. Cameras are available with USB3, 10GigE or CoaxPress connection types, with different frame rates, resolutions and sensor sizes. Most cameras are available in color and mono version and some are available as NIR version.

WHAT ELSE?

You can obtain 2D & 3D data in a single shot but you pay with effective lateral resolution. Raytrix cameras have a maximal effective lateral resolution of about one quarter of the sensor resolution. This effective lateral resolution also varies over the whole depth-of-field. The camera is setup by focusing the main lens to the furthest plane you are interested in. From this plane towards the camera the depth can be calculated and a 2D image reconstructed. Everything that lies behind this plane can not be reconstructed at all. The effective lateral resolution is highest at the focus plane and drops as you get closer to camera.

The depth resolution is typically 1% of the total depth-of-field, which in turn depends on the focal length of the main lens and the focus setting. It is possible select different main lenses for the same light field camera to adjust the depth-of-field to your needs. However, the larger the field-of-view, the larger the depth-of-field and the closer you need to be to the main lens to obtain a good depth resolution. In particular, this means that a light field camera in combination with a wide-angle lens can only see depth differences close to the main lens.

On the other hand, light field cameras work well within the macro realm, with microscopes and also with telescopes.

Description

WHY WOULD I WANT TO USE LIGHT-FIELDS?

The 3D light field cameras work particularly well for small objects. You can use a standard lens, a telecentric lens or a microscope to select desired field-of-view and depth resolution. The patented micro lens array offers an optimal combination of high effective resolution and extended depth-of-field. Since you only need a single camera and a single shot you can

  • estimate the 3D position of objects situated deeply inside a cylindrical enclosure
  • take images of moving objects at high frame rates using a flash or strobe
  • obtain 3D data through a standard microscope in a single shot.

The effective lateral resolution is at most a quarter of the sensor resolution and the depth resolution is about 1% of the total depth-of-field. The absolute values depend on the main lens used. Typical application areas are:

  • Automated optical 3D inspection in industry.
  • Measurement of 3D flow with a single access point in fluid mechanics research.
  • 3D Plant analysis for breeding, picking or weeding.
  • 3D Microscopy for industrial parts.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

To obtain 2D and 3D data from a single shot, we need mainly two things: a micro lens array (MLA) and software algorithms.

The MLA is placed in front of the image sensor inside the camera, which turns the image sensor into a micro-camera array, where each micro-camera sees part of the intermediate image from a slightly different perspective. That is, instead of using a large camera array that looks at the object directly, we can choose a main lens to select the desired field-of-view and create the intermediate image in front of the micro camera array. The images generated by the camera in this setup are processed on a PC with appropriate software algorithms to calculate the scene depth and to reconstruct a 2D image.

All of the processing is done on a GPU, which allows to typically process 60 26 megaray raw images per second, resulting in thirty 6 megapixel 2D & 3D images per second (30 FPS).

INTEGRAL PHOTOGRAPHY: INSECT’S COMPOUND EYE

Raytrix light field cameras enable you to simultaneously record the 2D image and metrically calibrated 3D depth information of a scene with just a single camera and a single main lens in a single shot.

This typically works with standard lighting and even a flash. For difficult surfaces a pattern projector can also be used. The exposure time is only limited by the camera electronics and the available amount of light. The cameras perform no processing internally, they simply deliver a raw image to a PC, which is then processed on a GPU to obtain the 2D and 3D data.

In principle, any camera can be turned into a light field camera. Cameras are available with USB3, 10GigE or CoaxPress connection types, with different frame rates, resolutions and sensor sizes. Most cameras are available in color and mono version and some are available as NIR version.

WHAT ELSE?

You can obtain 2D & 3D data in a single shot but you pay with effective lateral resolution. Raytrix cameras have a maximal effective lateral resolution of about one quarter of the sensor resolution. This effective lateral resolution also varies over the whole depth-of-field. The camera is setup by focusing the main lens to the furthest plane you are interested in. From this plane towards the camera the depth can be calculated and a 2D image reconstructed. Everything that lies behind this plane can not be reconstructed at all. The effective lateral resolution is highest at the focus plane and drops as you get closer to camera.

The depth resolution is typically 1% of the total depth-of-field, which in turn depends on the focal length of the main lens and the focus setting. It is possible select different main lenses for the same light field camera to adjust the depth-of-field to your needs. However, the larger the field-of-view, the larger the depth-of-field and the closer you need to be to the main lens to obtain a good depth resolution. In particular, this means that a light field camera in combination with a wide-angle lens can only see depth differences close to the main lens.

On the other hand, light field cameras work well within the macro realm, with microscopes and also with telescopes.

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